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Sir Giles Ansell
Sir Giles Ansell (ca. 2025 AE - 2100 AE) was a knight of the Kingdom of Farador, and the father of Count Delgard Tavion. He also became the Keeper of the Order of the Rose in his later years, and watched over the Vestiges of Arcadia. Early History Sir Giles first rose to prominence by competing for the winning team in the Winter's Crest Tourney of Bourne in 2034 AE. His valiant efforts were recognised by Count Darryn Tavion, who he had squired for in his younger teenage years. He was knighted on the eve of the grand melee of the tourney and granted a high position in the Tavion household. in 2039 AE, Sir Giles was given command of the Bourne Cavaliers in the Fourth Parayan Conflict of 2037 AE - 2045 AE. He served as their commander until becoming badly wounded in 2043 AE, after winning many victories on the field. Affair with the Countess When Sir Giles returned to Bourne, Countess Lillith Tavion personally oversaw his recovery. The two first met as children when Sir Giles was squiring for Count Darryn, and enjoyed a close friendship. When Joel Tavion was born in 2045 AE, Sir Giles became the boy's mentor, teaching him how to fight, and the ways of chivalry. Over the coming years, Sir Giles grew very close to Lilith, and became romantically involved with her, unbeknownst to Count Darryn. Lilith became pregnant with the knight's child in 2046 AE, and gave birth to Delgard in 2047 AE. The parents kept the boy's parentage a secret, and he was raised as the legitimate son of Count Darryn. Ambush in the Iron Mountains in 2052 AE, Lilith and Joel traveled to La Passe to attend the celebrations of the birth of Elisa Briarwood. Sir Giles and other minor knights provided an armed escort. The group left La Passe in haste a few days after the celebrations. Lilith had learned truths about the Briarwoods' machinations to resurrect Altherio, plunging the world into a new era of tyranny. The group took an alternate route back to Bourne, following the Iron Mountains. Four days after leaving La Passe, the group was ambushed by Shadow Demons which evidence suggests were under orders from the Briarwoods. The demons killed the entire entourage, including Lilith and Joel. Sir Giles was the only survivor. He buried the fallen under cairns of stone on a ledge in the Iron Mountains, as his injuries made him incapable of carrying the bodies back to Bourne. On his journey back, Sir Giles passed within a few leagues of Wode Hill. Battered and exhausted, he was found by one of the Hag that had taken up residence in the village. She offered to heal the Knight in exchange for an amulet that was given to him by Lilith. He reluctantly made the exchange. Fall from Grace When Sir Giles reached Bourne, he reported the ambush to Count Darryn. The Count, in his grief, blamed Sir Giles for failing to save Lilith and Joel, and dismissed the allegations against the Briarwoods as being false. Sir Giles was exiled only few days after his return. Giles spent the following years working in the lands around Bourne, looking to work and helping those he could. He traveled across Andoran, and some time in the early 2070s AE, he met a young idealist named Rupert Lavington. Rupert, a member of the Order of the Rose, encouraged Sir Giles to aid him in his quest to protect the Vestiges of Arcadia, and to seek out capable heroes worthy of wielding the legendary artifacts. Sir Giles joined the Order, and quickly rose to prominence among their smaller number. Return to Bourne In 2079 AE, Sir Giles received a summons to return to Bourne at the behest of Count Delgard. The Count had remembered Giles, and wished to see the knight reinstated. Sir Giles accepted the summons and appeared before the Count. Any doubt in Sir Giles' mind of Delgard's parentage were put to rest. The young Count was the spitting image of the Knight in his youth, and the two felt a quick, if uneasy, bond. Sir Giles was given a manor to retire in, which came to be known as Ansell Manor. Sir Giles had the Vestiges of Arcadia brought to the manor a few years later, and the vault was buried under the building. Last Adventure Sir Giles enjoyed a quiet retirement, and seldom left Bourne, except to meet with Rupert Lavington, now the Grand Master of the Order. In 2100 AE, Sir Giles learned that the Hag he had bartered with was still living in Wode Hill. He resolved to travel there to reclaim the amulet, and travel to the resting place of Lilith, to rest beside her. He employed the Crimson Company to escort him there. He had already heard of the group's quick rise to prominence and sensed in them the potential for greatness. Together, they traveled to Wode Hill, and defeated the Hags. The amulet was recovered, and they continued into the Iron Mountains. When the group found the cairns, they were assaulted by Harpies nesting in the mountains. Sir Giles was gravely wounded in the attack, although refused the aid of the Crimson Company, wishing instead to die in the place that he had failed so many years ago. After he passed, Darrack Ironfist built a cairn for the old knight, so that he could rest beside Lilith. Legacy Sir Giles had bequeathed Ansell Manor and all of its property to the Crimson Company shortly before his death. He gave them the first of the keys that opened the vaults, within which were kept the Vestiges of Arcadia. The Company went on to unlock the vaults, and used the Vestiges in the fight against the Bariarwoods.